Welcome to the October edition of Akin Intelligence. We continue to see bipartisan and international interest in artificial intelligence (AI) regulation. In the executive branch, agencies are working towards developing standards in accordance with previous executive orders and soliciting comments from stakeholders on proposed AI rules and policies. Meanwhile, AI continues to be a focal point in U.S. state legislatures, governors' offices and in the U.S. court system. This month's edition also features extensive updates on AI developments in the healthcare sector. To ensure continued receipt, please subscribe to future issues here if you have not already done so.
Akin Spotlight
AI Concerns of WGA and SAG-AFTRA: What Is Allowed?
The rise of the use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) to produce original written material has left authors and writers across industries feeling threatened. This was one major factor that led to the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike after failed negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The strike, which began on May 2, 2023, came to an end on September 24, 2023, when a tentative agreement between the WGA and the AMPTP was reached.
Federal Action
U.S. Space Force Temporarily Bans Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage
On September 29, 2023, the U.S. Space Force reportedly issued an internal memorandum to Space Force members banning the use of generative AI and large language models (LLM). Lisa Costa, the U.S. Space Force's Chief Technology and Innovation Officer noted that while AI will revolutionize the workforce, there are also concerns regarding "cybersecurity, data handling and procurement requirements" and the adoption of AI and LLMs needs to be done responsibly. New guidance is expected to be released within 30 days of the memorandum's publishing.
Department of Defense Will Establish AI Battle Labs at EUCOM and INDOPACOM
On September 27, 2023, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced its plan to implement two BRAVO AI Battle Labs at U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM). The laboratories will share "operational theater data—including logistics, cyber and telemetry" with the DOD and will act as "hubs for digital integration among federal entities, industry, coalition partners and American citizenry." The labs will be operating throughout the next year, in coordination with the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office's Algorithmic Warfare Directorate and the Defense Innovation Unit.
Department of Defense (DOD) Plans AI Symposium
On September 29, 2023, the DOD's Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) released the dates for its AI symposium. The Advantage DOD 2024: Defense Data & AI Symposium will be hosted on February 20–22, 2024 at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. The event will be attended by government, industry and academia data professionals and will focus on the DOD's technological needs, including data, analytics, and AI development and usage. Other relevant topics will be AI scaffolding, data mesh services, strategy and policy issuances, digital workforce, and updates on Task Force Lima, the DOD team at the center of large language models. This announcement also includes registration forms for external speakers who wish to present during the event.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Opens Applications for PrivacyCon 2024 Presentations
On September 27, 2023, the FTC announced that it has opened its application for presentations for its annual PrivacyCon event. The seminar will be hosted virtually on March 6, 2024, and will focus on a variety of AI and health privacy topics, including automated systems; health-related surveillance; children's and teens' privacy; deepfakes and voice clones; worker surveillance; and ecosystem and surveillance advertising. The deadline for submitting presentations is December 6, 2023 and further information on submissions is located on the Call for Presentations page.
Stakeholders Eagerly Await President Biden's AI Executive Order
The Biden administration is expected to release an executive order (EO) on AI in the coming weeks. The EO is expected to address concerns around individual rights and anticipated harms, and stakeholders anticipate the order will address issues such as copyright, recruitment of AI talent from overseas, domestic AI education, and national and cybersecurity. The EO is also expected to include directives pertaining to the federal government's procurement of AI, and a requirement that cloud computing providers monitor and track customers whose usage of compute resources suggests that the customers are developing AI systems. The White House is also coordinating with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on industry guidelines for testing and evaluation of AI systems, and with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regarding federal agencies' acquisition and use of AI.
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